Here For You
by Lady Dudley
Summary: Naomi turns to a friend to help her deal with Neelix leaving in "Homestead"


**A/N: So I watched the episode "Homestead" the other day and I thought it was shame that nothing much was done about how Naomi coped with losing her godfather. So this is my answer. Hope you enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

_**Here For You**_

Now that she was older, Naomi had been given a certain amount of freedom aboard the ship. She no longer needed a babysitter when her mother was on duty and she knew her way around the ship well enough by now that she no longer needed an escort either.

With all this freedom she doubted that anyone suspected that she chose to spend much of it here, in the Cargo Bay.

She knew that most of the crew considered the Cargo Bay to be creepy, but Naomi always found it relaxing. Ever since she had gotten over her fear of Seven of Nine she had begun spending a lot of her free time here with the ex-drone.

After the Borg children had come on board it had seemed almost natural that she would begin spending even more time down there. But she was sure that what would really surprise most of the crew on _Voyager_ was that she had even formed the habit of watching the children regenerate.

The first time had been an accident, she had come in a little bit before their cycle had finished and been surprised to see them still in their alcoves. Then she began to come and watch them for longer periods of time, it helped her when needed to think.

Just knowing that her friends were nearby was comforting when she wanted to think about things. When all of the children (except Icheb) left, it became a way of remembering them.

Tonight she had come there to remember someone else. Tonight was the first night since Neelix had left and she missed him.

So much.

Whenever her mother was on duty and she had been upset or lonely, she had been able to go to Neelix. Now she didn't know what she would do or who she would turn to.

She stared up at Icheb from her position on the floor, willing him to open his eyes so that she'd have someone to talk to.

With Neelix gone, Icheb was her closest friend and the only person who hadn't treated her any differently since Neelix had left. He'd seemed to understand that she needed to sort through how she felt about his leaving in her own time.

She started when Icheb opened his eyes and, striding out of his alcove, gracefully took a seat on the edge of the alcove platform

"I thought you were regenerating," she said finally, still a little dumbstruck.

"I was, but I knew you sometimes came here to think. I programmed the computer to alert me to your presence," he explained, "I thought you might need a friend," he added.

Naomi felt tears well up in her eyes.

"Was I in error?" Icheb asked, concerned, "It was not my intention to make you cry."

"No, you weren't in error," Naomi told him, wiping away a stray tear, "it was very kind of you, Icheb. Thank you."

"Would you like to talk about it, ma petite?" he asked in a quiet, almost gentle tone.

Naomi felt more tears well in her eyes at his use of her nickname. Icheb looked askance, "Are you sure I'm not in error? All I seem to have done is make you cry, twice."

Naomi just looked up at him, trying to fight off the tears that just wouldn't stop coming. Despite what she had said earlier to Neelix, she was still a little girl. A little girl who missed her godfather and was so deeply touched that Icheb would skip his regeneration cycle to be with her.

"I have noticed that in similar circumstances other crewmembers hug," Icheb began uncertainly after a moment, "is that what you require?" he asked, slipping back into some of his odd turn of phrase out of his nervousness.

Naomi nodded and Icheb slid onto the floor and took a seat beside her. Taking a steadying breath that he hoped she wouldn't notice, he put his arm around her shaking shoulders. He was pleasantly surprised when she dropped her head onto his shoulder.

"Am I doing this correctly?" he asked and felt her nod, he wrapped his other arm around her. "It's all right, I'm here for you," he told her, repeating the words of comfort he'd heard others express.

Only now, as he held her, did he realise that he truly meant them.


End file.
